In the construction industry, particularly with respect to house construction, there has long been a need for reduced costs of construction, shortened time period for construction, and improved insulation with minimum heat transfer between the exterior and interior of a constructed house.
The present invention provides construction assemblies or modules, improved components and improved methods for rapid construction, excellent insulation, and durability. A construction module comprises foam blocks, preferably formed of polystyrene in end-to-end array, with adjacent blocks separated by back-to-back studs secured together, as by welding, and with flanges thereof extending oppositely into the adjacent blocks. Elongate studs, preferably of steel, extend above and below the array of blocks with flanges thereof extending into the blocks.
The term xe2x80x9cstudsxe2x80x9d with respect to steel components, is used herein because the term has long been used in the construction art to denote studs, typically of wood, which have been widely used for vertical members, etc., in building and home construction.
A construction assembly or module, typically for use as a beam, comprises a plurality of foam blocks disposed end-to-end, with elongate studs along the upper and lower surfaces of the plurality of blocks with flanges extending into the foam blocks. Between each adjacent pair of blocks are two studs secured back-to-back and extending oppositely into the adjacent blocks.
In a construction module typically for use as a wall section, the end-to-end array of blocks, longitudinally extending studs above and below the blocks with flanges extending into the blocks, are utilized. Between each pair of adjacent blocks are back-to-back studs secured together by welding with flanges extending oppositely into the adjacent blocks.
A construction module for use as a header above a door or window opening, has a first row of end-to-end blocks, and elongated studs extending along the upper and lower surfaces of the end-to-end blocks. Both studs have edge flanges extending into the blocks. A second row of end-to-end blocks is disposed normally below the first array of blocks. Elongated studs extend along the upper surfaces and the bottom surfaces of the blocks. The second or lower row of blocks may be narrower than the blocks of the upper row and a relatively narrower row of end-to-end blocks may be disposed on either side of the lower array of blocks.
The construction assemblies or modules according to the invention provides great structural strength, and excellent insulation with respect to heat transfer between the interior and exterior of a house built utilizing the modules of the invention.
The steel studs, etc., utilized according to the invention, provide substantially greater strength than structures comprised of wooden members, and have the highest strength-to-weight ratio among building materials. Outer surfaces of the construction modules, typically wall and header modules, preferably have applied thereto an adhesive coating, a matting layer applied atop the adhesive coating, and a second adhesive coating applied atop the matting. A hard, cementous coating and tough fire barriers are thus provided. The present invention enables the erection of a house in a single day, with an additional day or longer required for finish work and details. A house structure is preferably secured to a slab by appropriate metal foundation straps together with other securement arrangements.